Miss Bolivia proud of her Croatian heritage

Miss Bolivia, Vanessa Kraljevic, is competing in the Miss World 2026 pageant held in Vietnam. She arrived at the competition with a personal story, solid experience, and—above all—a noble goal: a social project titled "The Right to an Adequate Education." She proudly highlights her Croatian heritage.

Vanessa Kraljevic was born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and raised in Cochabamba. She studied religion, politics, and society in London, and later earned a law degree. She speaks Spanish, English, and Italian. Her interests include writing, singing, playing the piano, sports, and modeling. She stands out for her academic background, language skills, communication abilities, and international experience.

Vanessa's great-grandparents, Petar Kraljević and Marija Jakir—originally from Pučišća on the Croatian island of Brač—emigrated to Bolivia at the beginning of the 20th century. They initially settled in a mining town near Potosí and later moved to Cochabamba, where the family eventually settled down. It was in this city that their grandson Boris—Vanessa's father—was born, who passed away when she was very young.

Vanessa lost her father while she was still a child and witnessed how education enabled her mother to provide a life of dignity and a secure future. Thanks to this experience, she realized that the opportunity she was given could also become an opportunity for other children and young people born into disadvantageous life circumstances. At 24 years old, Vanessa arrived at the Miss World 2026 pageant representing much more than just a beautiful young woman.

For the Bolivian representative, education—especially the kind that prepares new generations for the future—can transform reality, open opportunities, and break down barriers.

One of the most ambitious goals of her initiative is to help secure 20,000 scholarships for orphans and young people, thereby turning her participation in the competition into a platform for promoting a cause of social benefit. Her social project, "The Right to an Adequate Education," stems from a simple yet extremely powerful conviction: education can change a person's destiny.

Vanessa believes that human worth depends on the work we perform and the knowledge we possess. With self-confidence, elegance, and pride in her roots, the Bolivian representative conveyed a message about the importance of trusting one's own voice and feeling a sense of belonging to the place where we are. Throughout her participation, she radiated confidence and serenity, presenting to the world a cause that goes far beyond the crown itself.

"I was raised by my grandmother and my mother, two women who were true fighters. My grandmother lost her parents at an early age, but through hard work and education, she managed to build a better life, support her family, and pass those values on to my mother. My mother, Carla Borda, lost her husband—my father—when I was still very young. However, I watched her work tirelessly to become a lawyer and provide me with a beautiful, happy life. Thanks to that experience, I learned that we don't need anyone to save us; we can save ourselves through hard work and education. And when I speak of education, I want to emphasize clearly that I do not necessarily mean a university degree. Instead, I mean acquiring the real skills and knowledge needed to achieve financial independence and navigate the world. I would also say that our worth does not lie in superficial appearance, because at a certain point, that ceases to matter. Likewise, it does not lie in the financial resources we may or may not possess, since they come and go. Similarly, it does not depend on our academic titles, the acquisition of which sometimes requires immense effort. Our worth lies in the knowledge we possess—something that no one can take away from us—and in what we choose to do with it," said Vanessa Kraljevic, Miss Bolivia 2026.

Source: HRT

Translated by Branko Lozančić